Addressing English Grammar Learning Challenges Among Malaysian Islamic Studies Students
Abstract
Previous studies have reported that students with Islamic studies backgrounds in Malaysia often exhibit low performance in the English language, which is associated with negative attitudes and low motivation to learn the language. Many of these students question the need to learn the language, making it essential to investigate whether this issue persists in the current era. Therefore, the present study aims to study the problems that these students face in learning English grammar and how it influences their language learning at the tertiary level. A questionnaire was specifically designed and distributed to 61 students from the Faculty of Islamic Studies of a public university in Malaysia before transferring the data into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPPS) for analysis. The results from the questionnaire reveal that even at the tertiary level, students still struggle with learning English. They felt that learning English was difficult as they could not find similarities between English and any other languages they knew. Moreover, their negative perception of the language hindered them from putting effort into improving their proficiency. Hence, it is recommended for a specific module to be designed for this group that can cater to their needs towards learning English grammar efficiently, with the hope that it will also positively change their perception of the language.
Downloads
References
Abdul Hadi, N. F., Shaharudin, N. A. D., Faris, N. D., Wan Zainal Abidin, W. S., Mhd Fadzil, N. E., & Isnin, S. F. (2024). Understanding writing difficulty and writing process among pre-university students. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 9(9), e002935. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v9i9.2935
Ahmad, I. S., Abdullah, H. & Ghani, M. F. A. (2014). Attitudes and motivation toward learning the English language among students from Islamic education system background: Exploring the views of teachers. Journal of Education and Learning, 8(3), 195-208.
Alfian, A., Yusuf, M., Nafiah, U. (2022). Integrating Islamic values in teaching English: Lessons learned from an integrated Islamic school. Elsya: Journal of English Language Studies, 4(1), 1-11.
Asmah, H. O. (1992). Attitude in the learning of English. In Asmah, H.O. (ed.). The Linguistic Scenery in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Baharun, H., Abd Rahman, S., Ahmad, H., Mat Saad, N. S., Jamal, I. H. (2020). Quranic understanding among non-native speaker of Arabic: Malaysian experts’ perspectives. GEMA Online® Journal of Language Studies, 20(2), 203-223. http://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2020-2002-12
Gardner, R. C. (2001). Integrative motivation and second language acquisition. In Dörnyei, Z. and Schmidt, R (eds.). Motivation and second language acquisition. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press.
Gill, S. K. (2013). Language Policy Challenges in Multi-Ethnic Malaysia. New York: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg.
Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching. 4th Ed. Pearson Education Limited: England.
Hassannudin, M., & Mohd Kenali, S. (2022). Students’ voices on literacy enhancement at a tertiary level. International Journal Of Modern Languages And Applied Linguistics, 6(1), 1- 13. https://doi.org/10.24191/ijmal.v6i1.14257
Ibrahim, I. W., Ghazali, I. M., Abdullah, S. A. S., Rahmat, N. H., Hamid, M. H. A., & Azhari, S.H. A. (2023). Exploring motivation for learning using Hertzberg’s two factor theory. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(3), 1065 – 1083. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i3/16480
Jalaluddin, N. H., Mat Awal, N. & Abu Bakar, K. (2008). The mastery of English language among lower secondary school students in Malaysia: A linguistic analysis. European Journal of Social Sciences, 7(2), 106-119.
Masgoret, A. M., & Gardner, R. C. (2003). Attitudes, motivation, and second language learning: Meta-analyses of studies by Gardner and associates. Language Learning, 53, 123–163.
Mat Teh, K. S., Embi, M. A., Nik Yusoff, N. M. R. & Mahamod, Z. (2009). Language learning strategies and motivation among religious secondary school students. The International Journal of Language Society and Culture, 29, 71-79.
Md Zolkapli, R.B. & Salehuddin, K. (2019). Lexical access patterns of second language speakers of English. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 19(4), http://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2019-1904-03
Mohd Nor, M. R. & Wan Othman, W. M. T. (2011). Sejarah dan perkembangan pendidikan Islam di Malaysia. At-Ta’dib Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 6(1), 60-78.
Ratnawati, M. A. (2005). English and Islam: A clash of civilisations?. Journal of Language, Identity & Education, 4(2), 103-118.
Roshdi, N. I. A., & Rahmat, N. H. (2023). Exploring the relationship between motivation and vocabulary use among TickTock Users. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(3), 1334 – 1346. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i3/16583
Salehuddin, K., Shahimin, M.M., Sulaiman, M.Z., & Md Zolkapli, R.B. (2019). Heat maps and scan paths: Qualitative eye-tracking evidence on how the Qur’an is memorized through reading. Journal of Nusantara Studies (JONUS), 4(2), ttp://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss2pp318-334
Siti Sarah Lotfiah Azarudeen, Rasyiqah Batrisya Md Zolkapli, & Nurul Farhanah Abdul Hadi. (2024). Movies as tools for enhancing ESL learning: Insights into students’ emotions and experiences. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences andHumanities (MJSSH), 9(7), e002905. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v9i7.2905
Soh, O.-K., & Sharif, N. S. A. B. M. (2021). The attitude and motivation of Islamic studies students towards learning the English Learning. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 10(2), 625–647. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v10-i2/10147
Ubale, A. Z., Abdullah, A. H. & Abdurrahman, T. (2015). A relationship between parental involvement and intrinsic motivation on learning Islamic education. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 5(7), 325-337. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v5-i7/1744
Wijayanto, M. E. (2020). The integration of Islamic values in implementation of learning English: Islamic education students perspective. Eternal (English,Teaching, Learning, and Research Journal), 6(1), 18-30. https://doi.org/10.24252/Eternal.V61.2020.A2
Yusof, R. J., Zainuddin, R. & Yusoff, Z. B. (2011). Learning Methods and Problems of Qur’an Reciters. Centre of Quranic Research International Journal, 17-38.
Zolkapli, R. B. M., Kenali, S. F. M., Hadi, N. F. A., Basiron, M. K., Shaharudin, N. A. D., & Mohamad, H. A. (2024). Exploring reasons for learning English and burnout among preuniversity students. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 9(1), e002670-e002670. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v9i1.2670